National Register of Historic Places listings in Cook County, Minnesota facts for kids
Welcome to Cook County, Minnesota! This page lists special places and areas in Cook County that are part of the National Register of Historic Places. These are important spots recognized by the United States government for their history. You can even see some of these places on an online map if their exact location is shared.
There are 14 different places and areas in Cook County that are on this important list.
Contents
- Discovering Cook County's Historic Places
- Shipwrecks: Amboy and George Spencer
- Bally Blacksmith Shop: A Look at Old Trades
- Cascade River Wayside: A Park Built by Hand
- Chik Wauk Lodge: A Historic Fishing Resort
- Church of St. Francis Xavier: An Ojibwe Mission
- Clearwater Lodge: A Pioneer of Tourism
- Cook County Courthouse: A Center of Government
- Fowl Lake Site: Ancient History
- Grand Portage National Monument: Fur Trade History
- Height of Land Portage: A Voyageur's Journey
- Lightkeeper's House: Guardian of the Lake
- Naniboujou Club Lodge: Unique Design
- Schroeder Lumber Company Bunkhouse: Logging History
- Jim Scott Fishhouse: Commercial Fishing
Discovering Cook County's Historic Places
Cook County, Minnesota, is home to many fascinating historic sites. These places help us understand the past, from old shipwrecks to important buildings and natural areas. Let's explore some of these amazing spots!
Shipwrecks: Amboy and George Spencer
The waters of Lake Superior hide secrets from the past. The Amboy and George Spencer are two shipwrecks found near Schroeder, Minnesota. These ships sank during a huge storm in 1905 called the Mataafa Storm. The George Spencer was a large ship that carried iron ore, and the Amboy was a smaller ship that traveled with it. They show us how important the Great Lakes were for moving goods long ago.
Bally Blacksmith Shop: A Look at Old Trades
In Grand Marais, you can find the Bally Blacksmith Shop. This shop was built in 1911 and is a rare example of an old blacksmith shop that still looks and works like it used to. Blacksmiths were super important back then, making and fixing metal tools. This building also shows us what small towns in Minnesota looked like a long time ago. Today, the Cook County Historical Society takes care of it.
Cascade River Wayside: A Park Built by Hand
The Cascade River Wayside is a beautiful roadside park within Cascade River State Park. It was built between 1936 and 1938. This park is special because it shows how early state parks were developed. It was a project helped by the National Park Service and the Civilian Conservation Corps. These groups helped build many parks and roads during tough economic times, creating jobs and beautiful places for everyone to enjoy.
Chik Wauk Lodge: A Historic Fishing Resort
Near Grand Marais, the Chik Wauk Lodge was built in 1933. This lodge is a great example of the old fishing resorts that were popular in the Boundary Waters area. Many families would come here to fish and enjoy nature from the 1920s to the 1960s. Now, it's a museum and nature center where you can learn about the area's history and wildlife.
Church of St. Francis Xavier: An Ojibwe Mission
The Church of St. Francis Xavier-Catholic is an old church built in 1895 near Grand Marais. It's one of the few 19th-century Native American missions left in Minnesota. This church is the only building still standing from an Ojibwe settlement called Chippewa City. It tells an important story about the Ojibwe people and early settlements in the area. The Cook County Historical Society also helps maintain this historic site.
Clearwater Lodge: A Pioneer of Tourism
The Clearwater Lodge was built in 1925-1926 near Grand Marais. It's the oldest place for guests to stay in the Gunflint Trail area. This lodge is a key part of Cook County's history, showing how important tourism became to the region. It helped start the idea of people visiting the beautiful wilderness for fun and relaxation.
Cook County Courthouse: A Center of Government
In Grand Marais, the Cook County Courthouse was built in 1911-1912. This building has been the main place for Cook County's government for a very long time. It's also known for its special Neoclassical style of architecture, which was popular for important public buildings.
Fowl Lake Site: Ancient History
The Fowl Lake Site is a very important archaeological site near Hovland. It's an island where tools and items from the Old Copper Complex were found. These items date back to around 3000 BCE, which is about 5,000 years ago! This site helps us learn about a very old culture from the Archaic period in North America that we don't know much about.
Grand Portage National Monument: Fur Trade History
The Grand Portage National Monument is a large historic area near Grand Portage. It includes parts of the old headquarters of the North West Company, which was a big fur trading company from 1778 to 1802. It also has the site of a very important portage (a path where canoes and goods were carried over land) and an outpost. This monument is crucial for understanding the North American fur trade and how the northwest was explored and settled.
Height of Land Portage: A Voyageur's Journey
The Height of Land Portage is a special path between North and South Lake in the Superior National Forest. It's about 80 rods long (that's about a quarter of a mile). This portage is on the Laurentian Divide, which is like a natural line where water flows in different directions. For voyageurs, who were fur traders traveling by canoe, crossing this portage was a big deal. It meant they were moving from one major river system to another, and they even had a special ceremony to celebrate crossing it!
Lightkeeper's House: Guardian of the Lake
The Lightkeeper's House in Grand Marais was built in 1896. This was the home for the person who took care of the lighthouse, making sure ships were safe on Lake Superior. It shows us what life was like for early settlers on the North Shore and how much they depended on the lake. Today, it's a museum where you can learn about its history.
Naniboujou Club Lodge: Unique Design
The Naniboujou Club Lodge was built in 1928-1929 near Grand Marais. This lodge is famous for its unique interior design, which was inspired by the Cree people. It was part of a very big plan for a recreational area in northern Minnesota. It's a beautiful example of how people tried to create special getaways in nature.
Schroeder Lumber Company Bunkhouse: Logging History
The Schroeder Lumber Company Bunkhouse was built around 1900 near Schroeder. This building was where lumberjacks, who cut down trees, lived. It's the last building left from one of the biggest logging companies on the North Shore, which operated from 1895 to 1905. It gives us a peek into the tough life of loggers and the importance of the timber industry back then.
Jim Scott Fishhouse: Commercial Fishing
The Jim Scott Fishhouse in Grand Marais was built in 1907. This building was used for processing and storing fish. It represents the important commercial fishing industry that thrived on the upper North Shore of Lake Superior. Fishing was a major way of life and business for many people in this area.
